The Role of High Technology in Agricultural Development in Vietnam
The Role of High Technology in Agricultural Development in Vietnam
High technology is integrated from achievements in scientific research and modern technology development to create products with quality, superior features, environmentally friendly, and plays an important role in modernizing existing production and service industries, with agriculture being a typical example. However, the reality shows that the level of investment in agricultural scientific research in our country is not commensurate with the expectation of making Vietnam the "world's kitchen."
According to the World Bank's assessment, Vietnam invests in agricultural research and development equivalent to 0.2% of agricultural GDP, while in Brazil, it is 1.8%, and in China, it is 0.5%. The Vietnamese government has increased investment in agriculture by nearly 50% in the period from 2013 to 2017. However, the growth of agricultural research expenditure during this period is significantly slower. Most of the state budget for agriculture is allocated for the development of large irrigation projects for rice cultivation.
According to the Agricultural Science and Technology Index (ASTI) survey in 2020, with the level of development like Vietnam, the investment in agricultural science and technology should ideally be at 0.86% of agricultural GDP, which is about 4 times the current level. This means that in the coming time, Vietnam needs to increase investment in agricultural science and technology to meet the demand and production situation in the country.
According to Prof. Dr. Pham Van Cuong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, it is necessary to correctly assess the current situation of high technology application in agriculture in our country, in order to make accurate decisions in agricultural production, ensuring the fastest circulation of agricultural products.
Currently, the application of high technology in agricultural production mainly revolves around several areas such as biotechnology, digital technology-based management, new material technology, automation technology, 3D printing technology, etc.
It can be said that the application of general science and technology as well as technology with a high level of scientific research has contributed to changing the face of Vietnamese agriculture as it is today. Mastering the role of high technology in agricultural development will help achieve even more achievements. However, agricultural scientific research is a field that requires many factors, among which human resources are extremely important.
